TEARFUL Rory McIlroy fired a sensational second round comeback but finished agonisingly short of making the cut at The Open.
The Northern Ireland hero playing at Royal Portrush wanted to punch himself after a shock first round which included a first-hole quadruple bogey eight.
But he showed true grit and class and was instead punching the air in delight with an amazing six under 65 thanks to a brilliant four under back nine.
That left him two over for the tournament – and as it turned out, a gut-wrenching one shot shy of making the cut.
The top 70 players and ties make the cut and play the weekend. McIlroy’s good mate Shane Lowry shares the lead with American JB Holmes on eight under.
McIlroy, whose eyes were welling up during his post-round interview, said: “I’m emotional. But I’m happy with how I played.
“If I had that momentum yesterday – I went with it today – yesterday gave me a big mountain to climb.
“I dug in there, showed really good resiliency. It’s going to hurt for a little bit but the good thing is I’ve got a tournament to play in next week.
“This has been a week I’ve been looking forward to for a long time. I didn’t play my part but everyone who came out to watch played theirs.”
McIlroy – who shot 61 on the course as a 16-year-old – went out in two under 34 after birdies on the par 3 third and par 5 seventh.
But it was on the back nine he caught fire and gave the thousands watching hope of a miracle.
He went birdie-birdie-birdie from holes 10 to 12 but dropped a shot on the par 3 13th.
McIlroy, the 2014 Open champion, got it back on the next before gaining another stroke on the treacherous 236-yard par 3 16th, called Calamity Corner.
But his birdie putt just missed on 17 and he went left of the 18th green meaning a par was the best he could manage.
That means McIlroy joins Tiger Woods – who struggled with a bad back and produced a fightback of his own – and Phil Mickelson in missing the cut.
And despite McIlroy’s nightmare, there is more home hope in the form of Lee Westwood and Tommy Fleetwood.
Westwood is looking to finally end his Major duck after 26 years – and credits girlfriend and caddie Helen Storey with his charge, even though she knows next to nothing about golf.
